Sign



R. E. BARCLAY Nov.28,1933- SIGN Filed Jan. 19 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I Patented Novz. 28,- 1933 1,937,139 SIIGNII" I RobertE. BarcIa'yQChicago,assignor'to Fed- I "eral'Electric Company, Chicago,,1ll;, a' corpoe I H ration'oi New York Application .lannarylll, 1933; Serial- No 652,527

My 'inventionrelates in general to display (16% vices, and has more particular reference tofanil luminated silhouette signof. novel construction and arrangementand adapted to produce unusual; eye-arresting efiect's. *3 An important objec invention is to'pro-I vide a sign having a backgroundof minute, evershifting points of light to provide an efi'ervescing effect againstwhich display characters may be 10. contrastingly mounted to provide an unusually effective sign especially welladapted to advertise beverages; q

Another important'object is to provide an illuminated sign having a background, the Chairacter of the effect produced by which may be ine 'stantaneously changed by controlling the illumination of the background, it being possible to create a warmsparklingeifect simulating the vis- I ual effect'produced by theefiervescence ofcarbonated beverages, and alternatively to impart a cool, frozen appearance to the'sign by altering the medium or manner in which theback'ground is illuminated. I Another important object-isto utilize, in a sign,

' a frame or background comprising closely, packed spherical elements in order to obtain a dispersion of light in an unusual manner whereby to produce appropriateefiectsina sign.

Another important object resides in the meth- 3G od of employing the light dispersive effect of, relatively small uniform elements in order to produce a novel sign background, I

Another important object is to utilize in a sign the combination of relatively small closely packed i spherical elements of glass in' conjunction with means creating a traveling or shifting light effect in order to produce a sign, background comprising flickering or shifting points of lightuniformly scattered throughout the entire area of :the.

40 background. I I I I I Another object is to utilize the spherical elements of light refracting material arranged in,

panel form in conjunction with illuminating means for producing a traveling or shifting light efiect in the panel and means toselectively control the traveling light effect in order to alte r ,natively create in the panel a traveling or efiervescing light effect and alternatively producea frozen eifect by arresting the traveling move-.

' ment. I I

Another important object isto provide asign incorporating a panel comprising a plurality of spherical elements and" illuminating the panel a1- ternatively with traveling lights and. from a stationary light source.

Another important object resides in providing a panel of the character described with means for illuminating the panel progressively or alternativel'y' with different colored lights.

' Another important object residesin utilizingQ reality of framing-material.

' inexpensive device.

Vile, l iass-elements. Another. ape ant ob ject'resides in illuminat ing. a-sign character through a panel comprising 1 in assign, an luz'ninat'edpanel comprising'zap111 a plurality of closely packed glass marbles Another important object'is toilluminate a I sign character" directly and alternatively in I indirectmann'er througha panel comprising act-5 1 '{J'acentl-y i-inounted spherical portions of light re- I Among th other objects of the invention 1 produce in a'sign'; a sparkling-background efie created by inyriads of minute;ever+sh-ifting poin of light "to-produce" alternately a-sparkling lively:

veffect and a cool refreshing frozen appearance ini'a sign; and, in general, toaccomplish the for e- I going-objects by m'eansof a neaticjompact and;

These and 'numerous other-objects time in'L- vention will be more fully understood from the 30- following description, which, taken in connection I with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred forni' of apparatus illustrating the variousf sp'ectsof the inventiona l Referring to thedrawings:

Figure '1: is a perspectiveviewbf asig'n embodying'm'y invention; F .1 I Figures 2 and 3" are sectional views taken" sub-= stantially along lines 2'-'2 and 3-3- in Figure 1; v V Figure 4 is aperspective'vi'ew of a part or thedevice; a Figure 5 is a: diagrammatic view illustrating) the operati'onofcertain parts; f Figures S -and '7 areupartial] sectional views 1 showing modified constructions; and

' liigures ffiand v9v are sectional views similar, to-Figure 2,1 showing -modified arrangements.

I To illustrat'eniy invention, I hav'e shown 'onthe drawings a sign comprisingacasing' 1 1, which 5 may be conveniently formed of sheet metal orr loo other suitable material. The casing shown is rectangular and has 'an'opening 'ljiin 'its' front face defined' by flanges 15 formed at the forward edges of "'the"sidef walls of the casing. The backofgthe casing also is preferably-formed as a panel 17, which ;may be hinged or 'demountably I secured to the ca'sing -to permit access to be easily had tothe interior of the jc'a'singjfrom ther n I I a silhouetteagainst the-panel and' the panel 21,

is adapted to be illuminated 'to' provide a novel? f highly efiective backing for thesign characters' The panel 19 comprises means-forming. a mule:- -12 0 tiplicity of preferably closely packedlight refracting elements the forward surfaces of which,

the shifting light rays'so that the entire panel presents a uniform scintillating jew'elled efiect,

7 comprising the ever-shifting images ofthe light v '47 receivesjan imagejof each lamp 39'and each sources from'which the rays emanate, behind the characters. The minute, ever-shifting'im ages produce. an effect closelysimulating the appearance of the effervescence found in car-- bonated beverages so that the sign has especial utility when used to advertise beverages. j The panel?l9preferablyis -mounted in; a frame .23..carried by supports fastened in'the housing 11" by lmeans rcfysupports125. and may be formed 7 as a;-lay er. ofglass marbles 27 :preferablypacked .,as closely asp'ossible. between supporting: .p1ates 29 Themarbles and plates are orymay. be of any suitable.light-transmitting material;.such as glass. Alternatively, the marbles may: be formed;

' as a unitary panaor as shown in-Figur-figthe panel 19 may be formed as an integraljplate 31:

I with a' flat surface 33 on one side anda multiif plicity. of preferably spherical projections 35 on. tl1e.,o.ther,o r, as shownin Figure '7, the panel;

fmalyube z formed by means of. two plates: 37 simi lar. to. the plate 31 arranged back to back.

The. panel. l9, however formed withjforwardlyfacing. spherical. surfaces. is. illuminated from 'the rear by means capable'of producingfa shift- 3 ingor traveling'lighteffect; As shown in the .draWings,'-this is; accomplished bymeans' of. Sta

' tionary lamps-39 preferably. mounted onthe the flashingrneans being, connected in the circult which supplies power to the lamps;- .The

.fiashingnijeans. may be of any suitable well known. forimand the lamps may be supplied Withpower from .anLexternalpower source through the cable 43 to the flasher and through conductors45 from the-. flashe'r to the individual lamps. The travelling light effect mayalso beproduced by mounting permanently lighted lamps for shifting movementbehindthepanel'19." I

Thejlamps 39 also may be of any type producing a well defined light-sourceand capable;

of being. controlled .to. provide the traveling effect,'.although I preferto; use. small electric g 7 the forward prismatic layer are less clearly defined ably arranged-asi shown-in horizontal rows ,although I contemplate other lamp arrangements;-

The. spherical elements 27. act as reducing prisms and when illuminated from'the rear, each .7

reproduces a miniature image of thelight source 1 so that byQfla'shing the lamps 39, the panel 19 is made to reproduce the flashing image of each Inj order to lmultiplythe lamp images on the screen 19 andto further reducetheirfsize to thus produce a fine grained effect without multiplying the lamps 39, I prefer to interposea second; screen 1 .47 preferably formed'in sections corresponding to the lamprowsalthougha complete panel may be used. fljhe purpose of sectionalizing-the panelis simplyato-avoid using more marbles than are necessary to screen the direct raysof the lamps from;,. iga trikill the marbles-of screen l9. n a

mounted as in frames 49 and supportedas on brackets 51 in the casing in position between the lamps 39 and the screen 19.

As shown inFigure 5, each marble of the screen suchirnage is transmitted to a number of the marbles of the screen-l9. Notall-cf themarbles of the screen 19 receive an image froin'each mar ble of. a the. screen 47' but the number of images produced'iri each marble of the screen 19 is'substantially uni m an h rb g ece v sJ multiplicity of infinitei malllight a e ;sub-- stantially as shown infigure 4. As the larripsSQ are alternately flashed and darkened, the images on the marbles come andigo and sincethe images are' of minute size. having been'subjected to the resulting eifect ,is 1 an effervescing play Ioi light images over the. screen .19, which results in displaying the characters 21 in sil-heuette fashion against a highly eye arresting background.

.reducing effect of the marbles of both screensethe' The backgroundfhowever, is.v not suiliciently prominent to draw attention away from thechar acters but rather draws attention to' the sign and thence to the eharactersgwhiehform the prominent feature thereof. A

s newhat similar and for somepurposes a supe or effectmay be obtained at less expense as. shown in Figures 8 and 9; in whichthe panels 19 and 371 are combined into a single panel 59 which plate 7 67, the plates being supported in place. by

means of'the brackets 69. [This-arrangement is cheaper because of the elimination of support a in Fignre 8 consists of apair oflayers er -or closely J packed marbles'mounted between the front and rear plates 63 and 65 and separated by a single which is provided with. closely packed hemispherical projecticns 73ffa'cing toward thelamps 39. 1-3. The forward plate 63 and the-plate 73are secured together and in place withlthe marbles 21 there between by meansof the brackets 75.-- ,Withthis arrangement the imagesformed' was marblesjoi tion away from -thesign characters. I

Theeffect created is of narrow marble of the paneL.

I also provide for the illumination of the charactors themselves in a manner to increase their prominence and incidentally,increase the aesthetio appeal of the entire .sign'l To this end, the character simay, be

lamps 55 concealed behind the 'flanges 15 which and are energiZBd .by .-mefans, of suitable conductors, preferably hidden in the casing f i -oma transreduced L a smooth flowing bachground efiect of traveling'light is createdwhichis nevertheless of fine grain or textureand does not draw attenv upright shadow bands traveling laterally across each individual a a I 7 coated-with fluorescent paint andilluminated directly from ferent color characteristic.-

1,937,139} former which may be mounted in the casing and connectedto the power-conductor 43. I prefer to mount two or more lamps behind each flange 15, each lamp. being adapted to give oil. light of dif- Suitable electrical. connections for energizing the lamps and switches for controlling each lamp maybe provided. By energizing the lamps 55 in various combinations,

beautiful color effects may be produced in the characters 21 so that', in addition to'the effervescing background, the characters themselves maybe alternately caused to glow'in different 001-.

Cool green :may alternate with Warm red,

- which, in turn, may be replaced. with rich, royal I Patent is as follows: I 7

' with another.

purple, or combinations of the colors may. be used, theupper portions of the characters being illuminated inone color, while I Another valuable effect-is createdwhen the lamps 3a are extinguished and the lamps alone operated. 'The glass beads being no longer illumihated, lose the Warm sparklingeffect imparted by the lamp images therein and take on a frozen icy appearance particularly when the lamps 55 are in operation.

The signis capable of various unusual efiiects and has numerous applications for advertising and display purposes.

t is thought that the invention and numerous of its attendant advantages willbe understood from the foregoing description, and itis obvious that numerous changes may be made in the form, construction, and arrangement of the several parts Without departing from the spirit'orscope of my invention, or sacrificing'any of its attendant advantages; the form herein described being a preferred embodiment for the purpose of illu's-" trating my invention.

Having thus described lily-invention, 'What i I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters '1. A sign comprising a panel formed of closely packed spheroidal glass elements arranged ina common plane, a plurality of spaced apart light sources adjacent the plane,,translucent light refracting means between, the light sources and the panel, and means to actuate the'light sources to illuminate the panel through the light refracting means Withflickering light rays.

2. A sign comprising a plurality of spherical light retracting elementsadjacently arranged in a common plane in the form of a panel, means ments with shifting rays from a light source inrear of the panel, and additional means forming a light source in front of the panel to illuminate the indicia-forming means with coloredlights.

4. A sign comprising a plurality gar spherical light refracting elements adjacently arranged in a common plane inthe form of a panel, means on the panel forming silhouette indicia for display against the panel, means to illuminate theelements with shifting rays from a light source in the rear of the panel, and additional means forming a light source in front 101? the 1,3119]. to

the rest is glowing illuminate the -indici'a-forming means succes sively with lights of unlike color characteristic.

5. ,A- sign comprising-a plurality of light re-* I fractingelements arranged in closely packed adjacent relationship a common plane to form a main panel, a pair of light'refracting panels spacedbehind the main panel, one opposite the upper portions, and the other opposite the lower portions of themain panel, a plurality of lamps behind each light refracting panel, and means forming indicia in the path of light rays trav-" elling from the lamps through the main panel.

6. 'A sign comprising a plurality of light re.

fracting elements arranged in closelypacked adjacent relationship in a common plane to form a mainpanel, a pair or light refracting panels spaced behind the main panel, one oppositethe upper portions and the other opposite the lower portions of the main panel, a plurality of lamps behind each light refracti g panel, and means to flash the lamps, v H

7. A sign comprising a plurality of light'refracting elements arrangedin closely packed adjacent relationship in a common plane to form a main panel, a pair-of light r'eiracting panels spaced behind the main paneL one opposite the upper portions and; the other opposite the lower portions of the main panel, a plurality of lamps indicia disposed. in front of the main panel.

8. A sign comprising a-plurality. of light refracting elements arranged in closely packed adjacent relationship in a-common plane to form a main panel, a pair of light .refracting panels spaced behind the main'panel, one opposite the upper portions and the other oppositethe lower portions, of the main panel, a plurality'oflamps behind each lightrefractt'ng panel, meansto flash the lamps, means. forming silhouette 'invdicia disposedin front of the main panel, and"- "behind. each lightrefracting panel, means to g flash the lamps, and means forming silhouette illuminating means located in front of the main 7 panel to illuminatethe silhouette indicia.

'9. A signcomprising-a casing having an open ing defined by a flange, electrical discharge -illuminatingmeans disposed at an edge of the 7 opening behind said flange, a panel in said opening behind said illuminating means, means forming silhouette indicia "opposite said opening in front of said panel in position to beyviewed through the opening and to be illuminated by' the illuminating means disposed behind the flange, said panel comprising a plurality of relatively small light refracting elements closely and adjacently packed in a layer, means providing refracted light rays forming a traveling light effect visible in said layer.

10. A sign comprising a composite panel includ-- ing abackground layer of spheroidal'elements, means forming a light-refracting layer on one side of the background layer, means'facing the light-refracting layer to illuminate the background layer through the light refracting layer and means forming sign characters. on the side of the background layer opposite the light-refracting layer.

11. A sign comprising a panel formed of closely packed spherical elements of light refracting material arranged-in a common plane, a plurality of spaced apart light sources on one side of the plane, a second panel comprising a plurality of closely packed spherical elements of light-refracting material disposed between the light sources and the first named panel, asilhouette sign character mounted for display in front of sources'to illuminate. the elements of the first panel through the second panel. s 1

12. A sign comprising a compositepanel including a background layer of spherical elements,:

means on one side of. the composite-panel. to illuminate the background layer, means forming block characters on the opposite side of the back.-

ground layer, and means in front of said panel} to illuminate the block character with stroboscopic light. j 13.. A sign comprising a panel formed'of close-.

ly packed spherical elements of light retracting material arranged in a common plane, means forming a silhouette sign character on one side of said panel, meansforming a lightsource on the opposite side of the panel to illuminate the light-.

retracting elements behind the silhouette sign character, and means to illuminate the surfaces of the sign character facing, away'from the panel.

14. A sign comprising a panel formed of closely packed spherical elements of light refracting material arranged in a common plane, means forming silhouette sign characters. on one side of said panel, means forming a light source on the opposite side of the panel to illuminate the'lightretracting elements behind the silhouette sign character, and electrical discharge light units mounted in position to illuminate'the surfaces of the sign character facing away from the panel.

15. Asign comprising a panel formed of close- "1y packed spherical elements of light retracting material arranged in. a common 'plane, means forming silhouette sign characters on one side facing'one side of the panel, translucent light-i refracting means between the light sources and the panel, means forming a silhouette sign char acter mounted on the side of the panel opposite from the light sources, and means to intermittently actuate the light sources to illuminate the spherical elements with flickering light rays behind the silhouette sign character.

17. A sign comprising a panel formed of closesaid first named panel, and means to actuate the 1 1y packedspheri'cal elements of light retracting material'arranged in a comrnoniplane, means forming. a silhouette sign character, on one side of said. panel, means forming alight source on the opposite side of the paneltoilluminate the. lightrefracting elements behind the silhouette sign character, and means to illuminate the surfaces of the: sign character facing away from the panel with colored light.

18. A sign comprising a panel formed of closely packed. spherical elements ofjlight refracting material arranged in a common plane, means forming. a: silhouette sign character on' one side of said panel, means forming a light source on the oppositeside of the panel to'illu'minate the light retracting elements [behind the silhouette sign character, and. means to illuminate the surfaces of the sign character facing away from the panel successively with light of unlike color characters istics. r a a 19. A sign comprisingapanel formed of closely packed spherical elements of light 'refracting material arranged in 'acommon' plane, means forming a silhouette sign character on one'side of said panel, means forming a lightsource on the opposite side of the panel to illuminate the light refracting elements behind the silhouette sign character, said sign character having laterallyinclined surfaces, and means toilluminate said inclined surfaces with colored light.

20. A sign comprisinga panel formed of closely packed spherical elements of light'refracting material arranged in-a common plane, means forming a silhouette sign character on one side of said panel, means forming a light source on the opposite side of the panel to illuminate the.

light-retractingelements behind the silhouette sign character, said sign character having op' positely-facing, laterally-inclined portions, and

lmeans to illuminate said oppositely-facing por tions with light of contrasting character;

21;. A sign "comprising a panel formedofjclosely packed spherical elements of light retracting material arranged in a common plane,' means forming-a silhouette sign character on one side of said panel, means forminga light source on the opposite side 101? the panel to illuminate the light refracting elements behind the silhouette 'sign character, said sign character having oppositely- I facing, laterally-inclined portions, and means'to illuminatesaid oppositely facing portions with light of contrasting color character: I

ROBERT E. QBARCL AY. 

